The invention relates to a pneumatic atomizer.
Atomizers make it possible to break down a liquid into droplets and mix it with a carrier gas so as to obtain an aerosol. Such a transformation is necessary for the analysis of liquids in emission spectrometry. Pneumatic atomizers are one of the main categories and are based on the utilization of the Venturi effect. The liquid is injected into the carrier gas by the end of a capillary terminated in a chamber traversed by the gas and the mixture then passes into a constriction where the pressure drops significantly and atomization takes place. However, it has been found that it is difficult to obtain a stable efficiency of the installation. The liquid concentration of the aerosol varies significantly over a period of time, essentially due to the temperature variations caused by the pressure drop, which leads to contractions of components of the atomizer. However, it is still possible to obtain an aerosol having a constant composition by regulating a gas flow rate control valve, but the adjustments must be continuous because the composition obtained is never stable. Moreover, the atomizers have a poor efficiency, i.e. the aerosol contains little liquid.